>From Julia Alexander at Puck News and Parrot Analytics: “Discovery and HBO have strategically delayed uploading new segments from *Last Week Tonight* to YouTube to drive more subscribers to Max. It may work—but I have a feeling it won’t. And based on host *John Oliver*’s recent tweet expressing consternation with the decision, he isn’t so sure, either.
Here’s the main issue: Customers who wanted both Oliver’s show *and *the Max catalog in one package have likely already signed up for Max. But those watching *Last Week Tonight* segments religiously on YouTube (where the audience is younger) aren’t necessarily interested in paying for a service. Is Oliver worth an additional $15 a month, or is it easier to just wait three more days? My assumption is that most of the YouTube audience won’t upgrade for one talent they can literally “wait and see.” They’d probably rather watch only his most viral content in algorithmically recommended clip form, anyway.” Sent from Gmail Mobile On Tue, 20 Feb 2024 at 1:53 AM PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > As Kevin points out, the YouTube delay is far from an indication of > turmoil with Oliver at HBO, but an attempt by HBO/Max to further monetize > him. > > I am not worried about Oliver financially, first because there is zero > chance Thomas takes the offer (not because Thomas is above taking it of > course, but because he undoubtedly has a much better retirement deal with > his current sponsors), second because even if he had to pay up, it is about > 12% of Oliver’s current HBO salary, and Thomas’ life expectancy is probably > shorter than that of Oliver’s show. I will have to ask my wife, who is a > bookkeeper for a CPA, if this kind of thing would be a tax deductible > business expense for Oliver as an independent contractor, assuming he made > it a key part of his next stand up act in the event he had to pay out. > > Oliver was very explicit that the $1M/year would come from his personal > accounts, but did not make the same disclaimer about the $2.5M Luxury motor > coach. I wonder if HBO agreed to pay for part or all of that in the event ( > or if the maker agreed to donate it)? > > All in all: Hilarious and effective. > > Also, Oliver’s return was a clear, though no doubt unintentional, > illustration of why he is so much better at political humor than Jon > Stewart. While Oliver was also critical of Biden, his critique was not just > hack “Biden so Old”, but aimed at his pale and weak attempts to reign in > Netanyahu. That is a real and substantive critique (and complex enough that > I myself do not unambiguously agree with it, though I respect it). > > Sent from Gmail Mobile > > > On Mon, 19 Feb 2024 at 9:39 PM Steve Timko <[email protected]> wrote: > >> John Oliver returned from hiatus with a bang. He offered Clarence Thomas >> $1 million a year and a $2.5 million motor coach if he resigned from the >> Supreme Court within a month. >> Normally, I could post a YouTube link to that part of the show. But HBO >> hasn't posted the show yet. Here's a link to a poor pirated copy. The offer >> is around the 31 minute mark. >> https://youtu.be/YceyOgpj_RE?si=c1d7MPnHBv990oui >> >> I wonder if this indicates turmoil at HBO over the show. >> >> Oliver said he is paying Thomas' salary personally, not HBO. I am >> guessing left leaning millionaires will chip in if it means Thomas is off >> the court. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "TVorNotTV" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To view this discussion on the web visit >> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAH5J8ywxBvAUYiXgUA-c3%2BH-cWm5AgdhAiVjDUE-5%2BN9y%2BZ-UQ%40mail.gmail.com >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAH5J8ywxBvAUYiXgUA-c3%2BH-cWm5AgdhAiVjDUE-5%2BN9y%2BZ-UQ%40mail.gmail.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TVorNotTV" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/tvornottv/CAKGtkY%2BBY3k0bDnngE1-AggKpXJA__OngqTQtdxAUz8Wh3czOA%40mail.gmail.com.
